Transfer of cellular services from a postpaid subscriber to a prepaid subscriber

Abstract

A method and system for transferring access to cellular services from a postpaid subscriber account to a prepaid subscriber account are disclosed. A central postpaid system receives a request to transfer cellular services from the postpaid subscriber account to the prepaid subscriber account. The cellular services are transferred to a central prepaid system for the prepaid subscriber account. The amount of the transferred cellular services is deducted from the postpaid subscriber account stored in the central postpaid system. A monetary amount from the prepaid subscriber account is credited to the postpaid subscriber account for the transferred amount of cellular services.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method for transferring cellular services from a postpaid subscriber account to a prepaid subscriber account, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving, via one or more processors of a prepaid cellular service system, a request for cellular services available for purchase from a first user device associated with a prepaid subscriber having a prepaid subscriber account over a telecommunications network; 
 communicating, via the one or more processors of the prepaid cellular service system to one or more processors of a postpaid cellular service system using a telecommunications protocol, the request for cellular services; 
 communicating, via the one or more processors of the postpaid cellular service system, the request for cellular services to a plurality of user devices associated with postpaid subscribers who have opted in to receiving requests for cellular services over the telecommunications network; 
 receiving, via the one or more processors of the postpaid cellular service system, an answer to the request for cellular services from at least one of the user devices of the plurality of postpaid subscribers, wherein the answer includes the amount of cellular services offered by the at least one of the plurality of postpaid subscribers, and wherein the at least one of the plurality of postpaid subscribers is associated with the postpaid subscriber account; 
 communicating, via the one or more processors of the postpaid cellular service system to the one or more processors of a prepaid cellular service system using the telecommunications protocol, the answer to the request for cellular services; 
 receiving, via the one or more processors of the prepaid cellular service system, from the first user device of the prepaid subscriber an acceptance to purchase a portion of the amount of cellular services offered in the answer by the at least one of the plurality of postpaid subscribers over the telecommunications network; 
 receiving, via one or more processors of a postpaid account management system, a request to transfer the portion of cellular services accepted by the prepaid subscriber from the postpaid subscriber account to the prepaid subscriber account; 
 transferring the portion of cellular services from the postpaid subscriber account to a prepaid account management system for the prepaid subscriber, wherein transferring comprises:
 deducting, via one or more processors of a billing system, the transferred cellular services from the postpaid subscriber account; and 
 crediting, via the one or more processors of the billing system, a monetary amount from the prepaid subscriber account to the postpaid subscriber account for the transferred cellular services. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cellular services comprise at least one of data, SMS/text messaging, and voice minutes. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the postpaid account management system and the prepaid account management system are part of the telecommunications network. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the request to transfer the portion of cellular services accepted by the prepaid subscriber from the postpaid subscriber account to the prepaid subscriber account includes one or more types of cellular services, an amount of each type of cellular service, and a price for each type of cellular service. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sending a request for acceptance of the cellular services offered by the at least one of the plurality of postpaid subscribers to the prepaid cellular service system. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 receiving an acceptance message or a decline message in response to the request for acceptance of the cellular services. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sending a confirmation message that the cellular services have been transferred. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the confirmation message is sent to the postpaid account management system. 
     
     
       9. A processor-readable tangible non-transitory medium storing processor-issuable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:
 receive, via a prepaid cellular service system, a request for cellular services available for purchase from a first user device associated with a prepaid subscriber having a prepaid subscriber account over a telecommunications network; 
 communicate to a postpaid cellular system using a telecommunications protocol the request for cellular services; 
 communicate to the postpaid cellular service system, the request for cellular services to a plurality of user devices associated with postpaid subscribers who have opted in to receiving requests for cellular services available for purchase over the telecommunications network; 
 receive, from the postpaid cellular service system, an answer to the request for cellular services from at least one of the user devices of the plurality of postpaid subscribers, wherein the answer includes the amount of cellular services offered by the at least one of the plurality of postpaid subscribers, and wherein the at least one of the plurality of postpaid subscribers is associated with a postpaid subscriber account; 
 communicate to the prepaid cellular service system using the telecommunications protocol the answer to the request for cellular services; 
 receive, via the prepaid cellular service system, from the first user device of the prepaid subscriber an acceptance to purchase a portion of the amount of cellular services offer in the answer by the at least one of the plurality of postpaid subscribers over the telecommunications network; 
 receive at a postpaid account management system a request to transfer the portion of cellular services accepted by the prepaid subscriber from the postpaid subscriber account to the prepaid subscriber account; 
 transfer the portion of cellular services from the postpaid subscriber account to a prepaid account management system for the prepaid subscriber account, wherein transfer comprises;
 deduct, via a billing system, the transferred cellular services from the postpaid subscriber account; and 
 credit, via a billing system, a monetary amount from the prepaid subscriber account to the postpaid subscriber account for the transferred cellular services. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The processor-readable tangible non-transitory medium of  claim 9 , wherein the cellular services comprise at least one of data, SMS/text messaging, and voice minutes. 
     
     
       11. The processor-readable tangible non-transitory medium of  claim 9 , wherein the request to transfer the portion of cellular services accepted by the prepaid subscriber from the postpaid subscriber account to the prepaid subscriber account includes one or more types of cellular services, an amount of each type of cellular service, and a price for each type of cellular service. 
     
     
       12. A system for transferring access to cellular services from a postpaid subscriber account to a prepaid subscriber account, the system comprising:
 a network; 
 a prepaid cellular service system in communication with the network, wherein the prepaid cellular service system has a prepaid server configured to;
 receive a request for cellular services available for purchase from a first user device associated with the prepaid subscriber account over the network; 
 communicate to a postpaid cellular service system using a telecommunications protocol the request for cellular services; 
 
 the postpaid cellular service system in communication with the prepaid cellular services system via the network, wherein the central postpaid system has a postpaid server configured to:
 communicate the request for cellular services to a plurality of user devices associated with postpaid subscribers who have opted in to receiving requests for cellular services available for purchase over the network; 
 receive, over the network, an answer to the request for cellular services from at least one of the user devices of the plurality of postpaid subscribers, wherein the answer includes the amount of cellular services offered by the at least one of the plurality of postpaid subscribers, and wherein the at least one of the plurality of postpaid subscribers is associated with the postpaid subscriber account; 
 communicate to the prepaid cellular service system using the telecommunications protocol the answer to the request for cellular services; 
 receive a request to transfer the portion of cellular services accepted by the prepaid subscriber from the postpaid subscriber account to the prepaid subscriber account over the network; 
 
 a billing system in communication with the prepaid cellular service system and the postpaid cellular service system, the billing system having a server configured to:
 deduct the transferred cellular services from the postpaid subscriber account; and 
 credit a monetary amount from the prepaid subscriber account to the postpaid subscriber account for the transferred cellular services. 
 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the cellular services comprise at least one of data, SMS/text messaging, and voice minutes. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the network is a telecommunications network. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the request to transfer the portion of cellular services accepted by the prepaid subscriber from the postpaid subscriber account to the prepaid subscriber account includes one or more types of cellular services, an amount of each type of cellular service, and a price for each type of cellular service. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the postpaid server is further configured to:
 send a request for acceptance of the cellular services offered by the at least one of the plurality of postpaid subscribers to the prepaid cellular service system. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the postpaid server is further configured to:
 receive an acceptance message or a decline message in response to the request for acceptance of the cellular services. 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the postpaid server is further configured to:
 send a confirmation message that the cellular services have been transferred. 
 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 18 , wherein the confirmation message is sent to the postpaid server.